"How does it feel?"

Poe hummed in confusion, nearly dropping the book he was looking at.

"Being here." Din explained, running a gloved hand down the spine of a book that lay dejectedly on a dusty shelf.

They were killing time in the academy library, or what was left of it. Finn was searching the rest of the grounds somewhere while Luke and Rey did some "force thing" to a sacred tree. It all went over the pilot's head. He remembered the force tree kept on the jedi training grounds though he always tuned out Luke's lessons on it. It had nothing to do with fighting, therefore his young mind had held no interest in it.

"I don't know." Poe decided to answer truthfully, moving to face the mandalorian as he set the book on the shelf beside them.

The king tilted his head, silently urging him to continue.

"I think I'd rather be home." Poe finally spoke, sighing after he did so. "I don't know what I'm doing here. Kriff, I'm no use for this force stuff." He waved his hand in the air.

"Home?" Din's voice got quiet, looking down at Poe.

"Yeah, the kid's probably giving Iva hell." The pilot nodded slowly, analyzing the man's visor.
"Besides, I'd like to figure things out with you now that we realize we don't hate each other."

Din stiffened, the sound of worn leather creaking slightly under the small amount of pressure inflicted from his closed fists. The other man looked down at the gloved hands, furrowing his thick eyebrows.

"You change your mind?" Poe asks, voice thick as he tilted his head up to look into the black visor.

The mandalorian didn't say anything. Instead, his right hand hesitantly reached towards his left. Poe narrowed his eyes at the movement, watching as Din's left glove was gently removed.

"Don't." Poe ordered quietly. Din froze, looking up to try to catch the pilot's fleeting eyes. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do this for me."

"I want to," The Mand'alor murmured, stopping short before Poe looked up at him. "I need to do this."

The pilot nodded his head, albeit rather shakily. He closed his eyes to try to calm himself, though the feeling of a bare hand touching his own made his breath quicken.

Din's hand was calloused. Poe could feel each rough slope at the top of his palm, leading to the beginning of his fingers. He didn't find it off putting. It was the sign of someone who was hardworking, which he found earned respect. Though they were rough, they still were found to be surprisingly warm and soft. When Poe moved his wandering fingers to the slightly shallower middle of the palm, he felt a smooth expanse of skin. It was startling, though completely welcome.

As Poe felt along the man's well trimmed fingernails, the hand was gently pulled away, leaving only the cool air to surround Poe's eager reach. He  decidedly opened his eyes, watching Din with a curious gaze.

As if answering his unspoken question, the mandalorian looked down to his own hand, holding it out for Poe to analyze.

Poe took the offer, holding the man's hand once again. He ran a thumb over the tan skin over that back of Din's hand, eyeing it with intensity. He lifted it to meet his face, looking at Din's visor before making up his mind, and hesitantly kissing it. He pulled his head away as he placed his other hand atop it, giving the hand a small squeeze before letting go entirely.

"Thank you." He murmured, heat rising up his neck as Din continued to stare at him.

The sound of nearing footsteps caused the mandalorian to hastily put his glove back on. He didn't step away from the close proximity they were in, merely giving Poe a reassuring nod before looking toward the entrance.

"How long do you think they'll be?" Finn called as he neared them, hand lazily on the blaster at his hip.

"I don't know, but I didn't sign up for an all day thing." Poe spoke up, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned around to face his friend.

"Well," Finn filled the silence, leaning against a nearby bookshelf.  He clasped his hands together, wringing them as he quietly stared at Poe and Din.

The fact that Din didn't know when to stop staring at someone didn't help matters.

"Did Luke tell yo—" Poe began, attempting to salvage the conversation. His efforts were interrupted by the sound of rapid blaster fire.

"Kriff," Din bit out, quickly moving to exit the room. Finn and Poe shared a worried look before swiftly following after.

-

When Poe made it to the clearing, a body was thrown into him, causing him to fall to the floor. His arms shot out violently, attempting to dislodge the stranger.

"Poe," Luke's voice spoke over his frantic movements, causing the pilot to freeze and look up to meet the man's eyes.

"Take this, take Rey, and guard it with your life." He ordered, placing a branch-like object in Poe's fumbling hands. It was an oddly blue hue and looked as if it had been struck by lighting, dark veins running along it.

"What's—" Poe started, his brows quickly furrowing as his eyes narrowed at the other man's.

"He's here." Luke spoke urgently. There was fear evident in his pleading eyes. Poe merely nodded before tightening his grip on the unknown object, stumbling to his feet and taking off, dodging blaster fire as he located Rey.

"We need to go." He shouted, grabbing at her hand before tugging her along.

"But what about Luke and Finn?" She shouted vehemently, turning to look back as they ran.

Poe's eyes darkened, immediately thinking of Din. He could pinpoint the obvious sound of his pulser rifle, but he willed himself to not look back.
"They'll be fine." He murmured in reassurance, more to himself than anyone else.

Searing pain shot through his left arm, causing him to drop her hand. He immediately applied pressure, hissing as he stumbled. He let out a deep breath to help endure the pain, but found that he couldn't take one in.

Rey's eyes held confusion as she noticed him stop, his body turning to hers with panic evident on his face.
"What's wron—"

"Drop the saber," Kylo began, causing Rey to whip around and face him. "Or your friend dies." His dark gloved hand was outstretched, fingers curling as Poe's vision grew increasingly dark.

"He has nothing to do with this." Rey began, stepping forward as she dropped her weapon. Her hands were raised in surrender, though her eyes held malice.

"I'm not stupid." Ren glared, closing his hand towards himself. Poe felt his feet drag along the desert sand as he was swiftly moved closer to the man, violently brought to his knees in front of him.

Rey willingly followed, causing the man to allow Poe to breath normally again.

"Where is the feanallay?" Kylo interrogated, placing a vice like grip underneath Poe's chin, his large hand nearly encompassing his entire face.

The pilot raised his eyebrows. "I saw a weird rock and I threw it that way, if that's what you're looking for." He rasped as he nodded to his left as much the man allowed, the bruising grip making his jaw ache.

It wasn't what Poe had assumed Kylo Ren wanted, judging by the fact that he then took to physically choking the pilot.

As his surroundings began to blur, Poe had only wished for the distant blaster fire to grow closer.